Politics and the Internet: Virtual pogroms of the Unpure

Discussion in 'Political Opinions & Beliefs' started by obfusc8or, Mar 9, 2017.

?

If you have been a Victim Of Internet Conflict Expulsion (VOICE), who perpetrated your misery?

  1. Republicans - They haven't been the same since Romney went all 47%.

  2. Liberals - You try coping when you find out the DNC doesn't play fair!

  3. Conservatives - Never use "Roe v. Wade", "immigration", and "tax increase" in the same sentence!

  4. Democrats - Suggest an Electoral College-type system for ALL elections and "POOF" you're gone.

  5. Moderates - First they Love you; then they Hate you.

Multiple votes are allowed.
Results are only viewable after voting.
  1. obfusc8or

    obfusc8or Member

    Joined:
    Feb 22, 2017
    Messages:
    48
    Likes Received:
    23
    Trophy Points:
    8
    Gender:
    Male
    (A number of new members to PoliticalForum washed up on your rocky shore from another "discussion site" that went all Jekyl & Hyde during the infancy stages of the Trump Administration. The Proprietors, who will forever remain nameless, decided their unfathomable loss was simply too much to bear - at least with people who voted for Trump still around to remind them of their shortcomings.

    Herein lies the history of our plight re-posted from the pages of America's favorite up and coming blog, the unabashed Moderate!)


    pogrom (noun) – an organized massacre

    That word – pogrom – is loaded with emotion, horror, danger. It’s not a word I like to use, even hyperbolically as I do here to make a point. But when trying to describe the movements afoot in some corners of the Internet, where profiles are systematically removed (i.e. killed) solely for threatening ideological purity, the words “virtual pogrom” seem to fit. My apologies to anyone who might find the word offensive.

    Our story …

    Some day perhaps, I will learn my lesson. Some day perhaps, I will accept the fact that Politics changes people … especially when they are disappointed for not getting their way … and sometimes even when they do get their way.

    Some day … perhaps …

    My sullen mood is the result of losing a favorite and – at one time – an all-welcoming “discussion” website where The News was the stated objective, and political discussion (i.e. arguing politics) its true driving force. It was a crushing turn of events, where the toleration of all views – expressed respectfully – degenerated into a Safe Space for those unable to grasp the fundamentals of a democratic republic (i.e. the Electoral College) nor the results of its freely exercised elections.

    [​IMG]

    My first exposure to WHAPS (Web-based Hyper-Active Political Sensitivity) occurred in the months between the first election of Barack H. Obama and his ensuing Inauguration. It was December 2008, where after allowing almost eight years of Bush-bashing that a favored hobby site decided it was best for their WHAPS-afflicted egos if all Political discussion be banned from their rather extensive blogging and discussion forums.

    The webmaster was completely fine with creating an individual Political Forum for high-strung political arguments that blossomed immediately after the 9-11 attacks, and grew quickly into a hotbed for web clicks. For seven years we discussed every Bush43 shortcoming and defense thereof, with a pledge from Management to stay out. The members were left to police their own mess.

    That changed with the election of the first African-American President. Suddenly management was jumping into the middle of all sorts of issues dealing with the expression of political opinion.

    [​IMG]

    It became obvious after a series of rule changes and standard tightening that the real issue was being critical of that particular President! Where Bush-bashing had been a contentious and profitable enterprise, suddenly any political reference to his successor would reflect badly on the Web Product. Political criticism became a dirty word, simply because of who was occupying 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue!

    Needless to say, making hay from discourse over National politics no longer sat well with the webmaster. Neither did pointing out his hypocrisy. Many were summarily kicked from the forums for no reason other than correctly observing the trend towards restricting discussion.

    Certainly this phenomena is not restricted to one political side versus any other. I’m sure it happens on both sides. But my experience has been limited to seeing this on Liberal web sites.

    I will not share the web addresses for either site which showered opposing opinion with such “Acceptance”. I simply will not give them a free plug!

    Flash forward 8 years and the same phenomena plays out to an entirely different level. Another website where – for 3 years – the open and honest discussion of everyday news and politics was not only encouraged, but lauded …. and mightily. A site that touted talented and fact-based contributors from all along the political spectrum. A website with a tight set of rules to govern recognition, process, and behavior as a way of maintaining an even keel.

    Then came the come-from-ahead loss of Hillary Clinton and the rise of Donald Trump and unconventional politics.

    [​IMG]

    Those of us, who find ourselves excluded from another web-based meltdown, may well have concluded their website development effort was simply prelude. The ultimate objective a vibrant marketplace dedicated to discussing the rise and exploits of the First Female President of the U.S. of A!

    It seems Dreams do indeed die hard!

    Us Outsiders started to notice trends in the way posts and articles were being touted and publicized through the website’s cute method of rewarding creative and precise writing. You could not find a Republican/Conservative voice that was highlighted, despite the suitable presence of non-Liberal thought, unless they were addressing red-light cameras!

    That was the REAL gist of the problem … Hurt feelings over the way they had lost an election so many of them thought was a foregone conclusion.

    Of course they used those wretched present-day excuses for their organized ridding of anti-Hillary, anti-Liberal, pro-Constitution (that sticky Electoral College thing), and pro-Trump voices. They simply set out like any authoritarian fascist movement and eliminated profile after profile of non-conforming voices. Those who did nothing to offend, other than to voice an opinion unwanted by the fragile psych of the website entrepreneur, were invited to leave. If they chose to say, they simply saw their profiles removed.

    That last part is what happened to my profile.

    My sin was simply identifying the trend and predicting the future look of so-called all-inclusive political forum. I called out the Management on their obvious singular focus, and then challenged them to simply be honest about their intent and future plans.

    That was enough to get my profile killed.

    The website now touts itself as a “Resist Trump” website, where “Trumpkins” are no longer welcomed!

    [​IMG]

    Now pogrom may not be the most sensitive way of describing what happened there. But it accurately describes the intent and actions of those who undertook what was essentially an intellectual cleansing!

    Certainly, it’s enough to make you wonder why some website entrepreneurs even attempt to take on subjects like Politics when they really have no stomach for dissenting opinion.

    Feel free to visit! https://unabashedmoderate.wordpress...d-the-internet-virtual-pogroms-of-the-unpure/
     
    Last edited: Mar 9, 2017
    yabberefugee and rover77 like this.
  2. HereWeGoAgain

    HereWeGoAgain Banned

    Joined:
    Nov 11, 2016
    Messages:
    27,942
    Likes Received:
    19,979
    Trophy Points:
    113
    I'm and Independent and have supported many Republicans. But it is hard to remain rational about politics when 60 million people betray their own country and elect a nut and a tyrant. The election of Trump is a failure of Democracy. I don't see this as a failed election. I see it as a failed country.
     
    Lucifer likes this.
  3. PrincipleInvestment

    PrincipleInvestment Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jul 12, 2016
    Messages:
    23,170
    Likes Received:
    16,477
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Gender:
    Male
    You sound a lot like Jorge Ramos, who insists the US "belongs" to latinos, as it's predicted latinos will come into majority based on procreation rates. Consider that YOU are one of the would be, 60 million democratic socialist traitors to OUR nation.
     
    ButterBalls likes this.
  4. HereWeGoAgain

    HereWeGoAgain Banned

    Joined:
    Nov 11, 2016
    Messages:
    27,942
    Likes Received:
    19,979
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Why, because I refuse to support a man who wishes to use torture beyond even waterboarding, kill innocent people by the thousands, who likes war and wants to use nukes; a man who incites violence and division and even offers to pay the bills?

    If that is a traitor then count me in.

    Anyone who supported Trump had better hope there is no God. If hell exists it has their name on the door.
     
    Last edited: Mar 9, 2017
  5. AmericanNationalist

    AmericanNationalist Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 28, 2013
    Messages:
    41,164
    Likes Received:
    20,940
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Gender:
    Male
    It's not so much that Trump wants to use nukes, he just acknowledges them as a fact of life and merely advocated Japan using them as a means for deterrence. And guess what? Japan is now looking for "first strike" options since North Korea's gone crazy!

    I can't defend his waterboarding comments, nor his comments about killing terrorist families. I was on record for calling that an INTL war crime by the Geneva Conventions. But Trump didn't "advocate" or incite violence or division. What he said was that he'd pay the guy's legal fees for responding to the instigator. As far as Trump knew, his supporter didn't "instigate" it. Should he have made the comment? No. But should Liberals be instigating violence?

    Liberals don't get the right to lambast Trump, when they're the reason the US has suffered from such domestic upheaval and violence. Clean your own ugly nest first.
     
    obfusc8or likes this.
  6. BlackHogGranolaBrown

    BlackHogGranolaBrown Banned

    Joined:
    Feb 20, 2017
    Messages:
    784
    Likes Received:
    73
    Trophy Points:
    28
    Like when that Jew Debbie Schlussel blamed Poland for killing 3 million Jews, and got major attacks on her, which she called a "Cyber Pogrom"??
     
  7. Durandal

    Durandal Well-Known Member Donor

    Joined:
    May 25, 2012
    Messages:
    55,518
    Likes Received:
    27,044
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Gender:
    Male
    It's a familiar story to me in some ways. It happened to the Pravda forum once, where America-bashing and entertaining every wild conspiracy theory under the sun (along with lots of Jew-bashing, of course) became the norm and normal people eventually came to be forced out. It's a self-destructive course that I think can happen at any forum where the wrong sorts of people gain moderating and administrative powers. It's not limited to any particular ideological group - any who maintain an ideology that they do not want to have challenged are susceptible to this.

    On the other hand, there are also people who degenerate into trolling on such sites. This is another outcome of a clash of ideologies, where one or more sides refuse to be reasonable and rational. All involved end up being guilty, but it's those who have the power to ban or otherwise silence those they wish to silence who end up pushing the button and using what we might call the nuclear option. The forum in question is left a shell of its former self, mainly because the 'solution' taken was the easy and wrong one.

    The right solution, the difficult one, is creating and enforcing rules that do not discriminate and which eliminate - or at least cut back on - the bad blood back-and-forth. It would all depend once again on who is in charge and whether they are able and willing to recognize the problem and deal with it objectively. What I find shameful is just how immature people tend to be when it comes to "discussing" politics. I don't know what it is, but politics seems to bring out the worst in just about everybody.
     
    obfusc8or likes this.
  8. ButterBalls

    ButterBalls Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Dec 2, 2016
    Messages:
    51,205
    Likes Received:
    37,552
    Trophy Points:
    113
    I know he said that he thinks Japan should have nukes in defense in light of N Korea's recent behavior! A cite of this would be nice, if you would!
     
    Last edited: Mar 9, 2017
  9. PrincipleInvestment

    PrincipleInvestment Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jul 12, 2016
    Messages:
    23,170
    Likes Received:
    16,477
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Gender:
    Male
    "I don't see this as a failure of democracy ... a failed country"
    Beyond contemptuous.
     
    obfusc8or likes this.
  10. obfusc8or

    obfusc8or Member

    Joined:
    Feb 22, 2017
    Messages:
    48
    Likes Received:
    23
    Trophy Points:
    8
    Gender:
    Male
    That's an emotional judgment, IMO. Which kind of portrays the mindset I describe.
    To suggest that 60 million voted to "betray their country" is simply ridiculous. That from someone who think President Trump acts a bit nuts with Twitter in hand.
     
  11. obfusc8or

    obfusc8or Member

    Joined:
    Feb 22, 2017
    Messages:
    48
    Likes Received:
    23
    Trophy Points:
    8
    Gender:
    Male
    Not familiar with that incident ...
    As I said, I am not making light of the concept.
     
  12. obfusc8or

    obfusc8or Member

    Joined:
    Feb 22, 2017
    Messages:
    48
    Likes Received:
    23
    Trophy Points:
    8
    Gender:
    Male
    Not a thing there I can disagree with ...
    The truly odd thing is those who pushed the "nuclear option" button were the same ones who created the site as a "non-partisan news and discussion site", and spent a lot of time recruiting proficient bloggers to become the site's backbone. The change has been breathtaking!
     
  13. crank

    crank Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jan 20, 2013
    Messages:
    54,812
    Likes Received:
    18,482
    Trophy Points:
    113
    I'm seeing formerly good and kind adults issue threats (via social media) to people they know and 'love'. Threats along the lines of: "if you don't align yourself 100% with the aggrieved left, you are demon spawn and I will no longer speak to you".

    I've only lived half a century, but that's unlike anything I've ever seen or experienced before. At least in regards to politics - and not even our own politics, given we're not America. I have seen it in extremist religion.
     
    rover77 and obfusc8or like this.
  14. Deckel

    Deckel Well-Known Member Past Donor

    Joined:
    Nov 2, 2014
    Messages:
    17,608
    Likes Received:
    2,043
    Trophy Points:
    113
    If only the general election had superdelegates to decide the wants and needs of the Down Syndrome masses yearning for enlightenment.
     
    Last edited: Mar 10, 2017
    obfusc8or likes this.
  15. rover77

    rover77 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Feb 22, 2017
    Messages:
    845
    Likes Received:
    693
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Gender:
    Male
    'Anyone who supported Trump had better hope there is no God. If hell exists it has their name on the door.'...if and when I go to hell it won't be for treason or how I voted..
     
  16. rover77

    rover77 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Feb 22, 2017
    Messages:
    845
    Likes Received:
    693
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Gender:
    Male
    we indeed live in strange times....I often feel like I am on recreational chemicals as I watch or read the news ...I have never seen anything quite like the hysteria that has ruled for quite some time
     
    obfusc8or likes this.
  17. Sam Bellamy

    Sam Bellamy Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jan 27, 2014
    Messages:
    3,231
    Likes Received:
    715
    Trophy Points:
    113
    I broke off a relationship because I was being gas lighted over my political views. It was surreal. To this day I can't fathom how someone can harbor such hatred over someone else' political views. I can't even say I get that much scorn from people on this forum. You would think it's much worse when you don't know the person on the other side of the screen, but for me, it's not.
     
  18. Maximatic

    Maximatic Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Apr 23, 2012
    Messages:
    4,076
    Likes Received:
    219
    Trophy Points:
    63
    Gender:
    Male
    Am I reading this wrong, or are you asking us if we have actually wanted to align ourselves with these groups and been rejected?
     
  19. obfusc8or

    obfusc8or Member

    Joined:
    Feb 22, 2017
    Messages:
    48
    Likes Received:
    23
    Trophy Points:
    8
    Gender:
    Male
    Last edited: Mar 12, 2017
  20. rover77

    rover77 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Feb 22, 2017
    Messages:
    845
    Likes Received:
    693
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Gender:
    Male
  21. Maximatic

    Maximatic Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Apr 23, 2012
    Messages:
    4,076
    Likes Received:
    219
    Trophy Points:
    63
    Gender:
    Male
    Oh, I see. I guess the thing to keep in mind is that these forums are owned and run by people, and all people have their own preferences, opinions, and biases. We can ask them to enforce their rules consistently as they wrote them, but I think it's naive to expect them to actually do it. Since it is their property, they're within their rights to operate it however they please even if that way is affected by their politics.
     
    obfusc8or likes this.
  22. rover77

    rover77 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Feb 22, 2017
    Messages:
    845
    Likes Received:
    693
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Gender:
    Male
    you left out 'unwashed'
     
    obfusc8or likes this.
  23. obfusc8or

    obfusc8or Member

    Joined:
    Feb 22, 2017
    Messages:
    48
    Likes Received:
    23
    Trophy Points:
    8
    Gender:
    Male
    We recognize the individual's Right to manage their Property as they see fit. It's the hypocrisy we point to after so much "we can discuss anything respectfully" and the fraud that results from those who paid to support the website under its previous "reason for being". Many of whom were simply invited to comply or move on ...
     
    Last edited: Mar 13, 2017
    rover77 likes this.
  24. rover77

    rover77 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Feb 22, 2017
    Messages:
    845
    Likes Received:
    693
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Gender:
    Male
    they are free to do as they wish....but they are being hypocrites and claiming enlightenment and superiority which is a total self delusion
     
  25. Deckel

    Deckel Well-Known Member Past Donor

    Joined:
    Nov 2, 2014
    Messages:
    17,608
    Likes Received:
    2,043
    Trophy Points:
    113
    I started to go with "unwashed masses" instead of Downs syndrome masses" but decided to experiment with something more contemporary.
     
    obfusc8or and rover77 like this.

Share This Page